JUST IN: Nigeria’s stability, more important than your pocket, Shettima tells lawmakers-elect

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has advised the lawmakers-elect to consider the stability of the nation over that of their pockets.

Shettima stated this while giving a speech at the valedictory plenary on Saturday, where he appealed to the 10th Assembly lawmakers to vote wisely on Tuesday.

The battle for the Senate leadership has been intense for some months as lawmakers have jostled for presiding officers in both the red and green chambers.

Senators-elect will, at the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on June 13, 2023, elect a new Senate President to pilot the affairs of the Senate for the next four years.

Some of the aspirants are Senator Godswill Akpabio, who is running with Senator Jibrin Barau as deputy; Senator Abdulaziz Yari; Senator Orji Kalu; and Senator Osita Izunaso.

There have been reports of “dollar rain,” as some aspirants had gone on a dollar spending spree to woo lawmakers for their votes.

On Saturday, Shettima pleaded with his colleagues to put the stability of the country above every other interest.

He said, “To my colleagues who will depart from this chamber, I address you not as colleagues left behind but as experienced lawmakers who have become an integral part of my history. We have shared many things in common and standing shoulder to shoulder in times of adversity. We have fought relentlessly for the betterment of our dear country.

“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a paradox. The stability of this nation is superior to the stability of our pockets. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely. Let us vote for the Nigerian nation.

“The stability of our country is better than the stability of our pockets. Let us vote wisely on Tuesday.”